Deep well fishing tool



May 12, 1953 N, WQ'ALFORD DEEP WELL FISHING Toor..

Filed Jan. 24, 1948 rofewfy.

Patented May 12, 1953 UNITED `s'1TAIFL AS PAT15.'.151'l` OFFICE DEEPWELL FIsHrNGl'rooL Norman dlfordQI-Iouston, Tex. Application January 24,1948, Serial No..4,13.1

zf'This invention relates to a deep `well fishing toolrv: i v .1LAn;object of the invention isfto provideatool of the characterdescribed adapted to 4be lowered into'aiw'ell and engaged with an objectstuck in the well and whereby said object may be removed from the well.f

It is another object ofthepresent invention to provide a iishing tool ofthe character described which may be readily disengaged from the stucklobject, invfc'ase the latter cannotbe removed, and 'the'.tool'withdrawn from the well.

Mt isa Ifurther object of the invention to provide a iishing tool of thecharacter described which may be easily released from a stuck objectthat cannot be pulled by rotation of the operating string While thelatter is under tension.

Other objects and advantages willbe apparent from the followingspeciiication which is illustrated by the accompanying drawings where-Figures 1 and 2 show vertical, sectional views of the upper and lowerends, respectively, of the tool in engaging position.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figures 4 and 5 are vertical, sectional views of the upper and lowerends of the tool in released position and Figure 6 is a side View partlyin section of the complete tool engaged with the stuck object.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals ofreference designate the same parts in each of the figures, the numeral Idesignates the outer housing, as a whole.

Screwed into the upper end of the housing I there is a head 2 whoseupper end is formed into a jaw clutch member 3.

The lower end of the housing is formed with a downwardly and inwardlytapering seat 4.

Extending axially through the outer housing there is a two part stemwhich is threaded through a coupling 6, connecting sections of the outerhousing, by means of coarse left hand threads 1.

On the upper end of the stem 5 there is a jaw clutch member 8 to whichthe operating string 9, which extends to the ground surface, isconnected.

Suspended from the lower end of the stem 5 there is a gripping deviceIl) having the cilepending flexible arms II and on the lower ends ofthese arms there are the wedge shaped slips I2 whose inner sides aretoothed.

screwed a nut I4 2 claims. (oreal-102)* RA strong coil springI3surrounds the stem 5 land isl interposed between the coupling 6 andthe gripping device I0 and which tends to hold the slips I2 seated inthe seat 4. The stem 5 has a'swivelling connection with the gripping-device.-

A `On vthe stem 5 beneath the head 2 there is and between said head andthe'nut Ithere is a'strong coil springI5 which acts as a bumper uponYupward movement of the stem. v

It will be noted that-thestem 5 is composed of -two partswhich `are'maintained `against sepa- -rationby arcoupling sleeve lvwhose lower endis connected to the lower section of the stem 5 and whose upper end hasan internal annular ange which surrounds the upper section of the stem 5and on this upper section of said stem beneath said flange there is ahead I'I which has a splined connection I8 with the coupling I6 so thatthe upper and lower sections of the stem 5 have a limited longitudinalmovement but they rotate together.

In operation the device is assembled as shown in Figures 1 and 2 withthe stem 5 screwed downwardly to its lower position in the coupling 6.This will allow' the slips I2 to seat on the seat 4 and the tool, asthus assembled may be let down into the well and engaged over the upperend of the stuck object, such as a pipe or rod, I9.

The spring I3 will yield as may be required to allow the slips I2 toreadily pass over the upper end of the stuck object I9 but said springwill urge said slips into their lower position around the stuck object.

An upward pull may then be taken on the operating string 9 and the stuckobject may be pulled from the well bore.

During the attempt to remove the stuck object, if it proves to bedifficult to remove, the string 9 may be lowered to allow the clutchmem-- ber 8 to engage with the clutch member 2, as indicated in Figure1, and the string 9 then turned to transmit torsion to the stuck object.It is also to be noted that the stem 5 is tubular and uid may be forceddown through the fishing tool and circulate about the stuck object toloosen it.

If said stuck object cannot be pulled from the well bore tension may bekept on the string 9 to keep the clutch member 8 disengaged from theclutch member 3 and the operating string and stem 5 may then be turnedto the right and this will cause the thread 'I to move upwardly in .Dthe coupling 6 thus pulling the jaws I2 upwardly out of the seat 4 andcausing them to release the stuck object, 'which cannot be pulled, sothat the tool may be removed from the well.

A preferred form of the invention has been shown and described for thepurpose of illustration while the broad principle of the invention willbe dened by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1, A fishing" tool comprising, a tubular Housing having an insidedownwardly tapering seat adjacent its lower end and having an internallythreaded portion above the seat, a two part stern through the housingwhose lower portion formed with external threads to mesh with thehousing threads, a gripping device depending from the stem andrincluding, contractile means arranged to be contracted by the seat, upondownward movement of the stem in thefhousing' to grip an object in thetool, said stem being connected tof the gripping device to move said.device upwardly upon upward movement of the; stem relative to theIhousing, clutchy means`- on thev up per part of the stem and on thehousing. engage;-

able to cause rotation of. the housing` upon rotation of the stem andreleasable to allow the,` stem to rotate independently of. the housingand yieldable means acting. against the stem` and housing and normallytending toI maintain. said clutch meansengaged? and yieldable uponapplication of tension to the string to release said clutch means.

2,. A shing tool comprising, a tubularbhousing. having an. insidevdownwardly tapering seat adjacent its lower end, an inwardly thickened,

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Number internally threaded coupling in the housing above said seat, atwo part stern extended axially through the housing and whose lowerportion is formed with external threads to mesh with said couplingthreads, a gripping device depending from the lower end of the stem andhaving a swivelling connection therewith and including contractile meansarranged to be contracted by said seat upon downward movement of thestem in the housing to gripfan object in. the tool, said stem beingconnected to the gripping device to move said device upwardly uponupward movement of the stem relative to the housing, clutch means onVthe upper part of the stem and on the housing engageable to causerotation of the housing upon rotation of the stem and releasabletofal-low the stem to rotate independently of the housing, yieldablemeans normally tending to hold: said gripping device on its seat and acoil spring acting against the stern and housing and normally" tendingto maintain said; clutch means engaged, said spring being yieldable uponap' pleaticm of tensionv to the string to release said clutch" means.

References Cited in the file of this patentI UNIIEB SYFAIES`P'A'I'llli'lfs Name Date 1,800,736 Lemex Apr.. 143 1931 2,123,036Bozeman July 5,v 19'38 2,309,310 Gratehouser Jan. 26, 1-9'43

